Not Going Anywhere
by dragonpearlz
Summary: Qui Gon catches cold after the swim to the gungan city. He also contemplates his bonded relationship with ObiWan. HurtComfort. Light slash


Title: I'm Not Going Anywhere

Author: Unicornpearlz

Rated: PG

Summary: While going to meet the Gungans Qui-Gon catches a cold.

Disclaimer: Star Wars and its characters aren't mine. I just play with the ideas

"Heh-keshorn!" Qui-Gon sneezed wetly, the force of the sneeze propelling him forward. "Darn Gungans in their under-unde-wah-ter HeschkeCHUN! city." He blew into his handkerchief fully.

"Oh come now, Master, it's not their fault. They have cold blood, so the chill in the air doesn't bother them as it does us," Obi-Wan said sitting on the edge of the bed.

Qui-Gon glared at him over the handkerchief. "This is not the presentation a Jedi should be making. "Hep-kessessh!" His silvering brown hair fell over his shoulders.

"Blesses," Obi-Wan said, pushing them back.

Qui-Gon shivered and moved towards Obi-Wan's touch.

"Messa sorry, but a tour a'da city hasa been arranged. IT would be a bad thing to not to go," Jar Jar Binks said, poking his head into the room.

"Heh-kushussh!" Qui-Gon sneezed heavily and shuddered.

"Alright, I'll be right there," Obi-Wan answered, stroking Qui-Gons leg through the covers.

Jar Jar looked nervous. "Nosa, both of yous gots to be there. But, uhhh… you sees sneezing and coverings your face is bad. Makes peoples think you thinks less of them."

Obi-Wan looked at Qui-Gon nervously as he sneezed wetly again.

"Ah-kesshuhn!"

"Are you up to it, Master?" Obi-Wan asked.

"No, but it doesn't look like I have much of a choice."

The ride of choice was a giant bubble, which was dry, but chilly.

Qui-Gon stifled a sneeze and shivered.

Obi-Wan noticed and moved closer to him, putting his arm around Qui's. He could feel the head radiating off of Qui-Gon and whispered, "Are you alright?"

To his surprise, Qui-Gon shook his head. Qui-Gon was known for making things seem less serious than they were. The fact that he was admitting his illness was a bad sign.

They spent the rest of the tour locked arm in arm, and then quickly went back to their room for the night.

"Hep-ke-TISH!" Qui-Gon sneezed wetly. He had been propped up against the pillows, but the force of the sneeze ben him in half anyway.

"Bless," Obi-Wan said sympathetically, as he pulled Qui-Gon back, to lean against him.

Qui-Gon turned on his side and snuggled into Obi-Wan's chest. He coughed, congested, and snorted against the pressure.

Obi-Wan rubbed his hand up and down Qui-Gon's back making sure to hold him close.

_/This is no use./_ Qui-Gon sent telepathically. _/Please get some rest, so at least one of us is in the correct state of mind tomorrow./_ "Hes-PleskeocCHEW!" The sneeze exploded out of him, hard, fast and wet. It took him by such surprise that he didn't have time to catch it, spraying it into Obi-Wan's sleep shirt.

Before he could even stammer out an apology, Obi-Wan was shushing him and pulling him even closer.

Qui-Gon blew his nose roughly and groaned. "How pathetic you must think I am," he mumbled.

"Hardly," Obi-Wan answered planting a kiss on his Master's too warm forehead.

"A Jedi Master should not become as ill as this."

'True, but it does happen. Remember when Master Amundi caught Rodian flu last year and almost infected the entire Temple?"

He remembered. As two of the few who had not contracted the virus, he and Obi-Wan helped tend to those who were not so lucky.

"Hechampff! Hesskisshahh!"

"Bless. How about I see about getting you some tea?"

"Hemphchiff! Hechesspahh!" Qui-Gon's overly exhausted body shook with each sneeze. He shook his head and held onto Obi-Wan. _/Don't want to lose you./_

Knowing how needing his Master could be, Obi-Wan combed his fingers through Qui-Gon's long hair "I'm not going far. Just to the next room."

"Hah-kehurph!" Qui-Gon shook his head again.

Obi-Wan could feel the exhaustion across the bond. Tentatively, he reached deeper into Qui-Gon's mind and reached shields that weren't typically there.

"What's troubling you, Master?" he asked quietly.

Qui-Gon didn't notice the question. "Hepkesshesshoo!" Qui-Gon groaned in frustration. "I'm so tired! Can't you just let me sleep?" he asked his cold.

Taken back by the anger in his voice, Obi-Wan withdrew. "Of course. I apologize." With a deep breath he shielded his hurt emotions.

That Qui-Gon noticed. "Why do you apologize?"

"I am keeping you awake when you ought to be sleeping." Obi-Wan answered.

Qui-Gon sighed and snuggled in closer. _/Not your fault,/_ he sent through their bond, but was surprised to find that shields had been raised. "Is something troubling you?"

"I could ask you the same thing."

Qui-Gon lay in silence. How could he tell his padawan – his bond mate what terrified him the most? How could he tell him that he was ready for the trials, and to be released? How could he ask him to stay when his training had grown beyond what Qui-Gon could teach him? How could he delude himself into thinking that Obi-Wan would want to stay. He'd lose him by letting go, but on the other hand, he would hurt Obi-Wan by not.

"When you face the trials and you leave me, will you…Hesh-kessh Kehexchtchoo! Egagchtchaa!" He sneezed into his handkerchief and pulled away from Obi-Wan's grasp.

Obi-Wan sat up straight. "Blesses, Master. Will I what?"

Silence, and a wave from across the bond filled with anxiousness.

"Will I what, Master?"

"Will you still want to be with me? Or," Qui-Gon choked back a knot in his throat, "will you choose to move beyond me?"

Obi-Wan took Qui-Gon into his strong young arms. "Don't worry, Master. I'm not going anywhere."

Secured in his padawan's arms, the release of the anxiety made the sneezing stop long enough for him to sleep.

Part II

Holding to his Master tightly Obi-Wan listened to his soft snores, and pondered the question that had made Qui-Gon so ill.

'If at unrest the soul is, so to will be the body,' he heard Master Yoda, in his mind.

Certainly his Master knew this, having learned it from Yoda himself. And yet, he had kept his fears and frustrations hidden so deeply that it was doing him a grave injustice.

Part of Obi-Wan felt honored that his Master – no, his bond-mate- was so worried about losing him. But, on the other hand a worry this strong was tempered with fear – and fear leads to anger, which leads to hate, which leads to the dark side. Obi-Wan shuddered at the thought of his Qui being anything but good. Qui-Gon felt the shudder.

"Mmm… are you well? You're not catching my cold, I hope?" he asked, suddenly becoming wide awake, and placing a hand on Obi-Wan's neck.

"Not ill, no," Obi answered, shaking his head.

Qui-Gon looked at him oddly. "Is something troubling you?"

"Nothing that a good meditation session won't fix." He looked into Qui-Gon's worried eyes. "I'll meditate on it tomorrow. I'm sure I will be fine."

Sitting straight up, the pressure in Qui-Gon's sinus' shifted. "Hess-kashorn!" he sneezed suddenly.

"Bless, Master. Lie back down with me," Obi-Wan implored.

"No, I will not. But, it is your turn to tell me what you're thinking."

"It is nothing, Master. Just a nagging thought."

Qui-Gon sighed. "Hessh-kesh!" _Sniff_. "Obi-Wan, I'm sure I can't be much to look at right now, but I am still your Master. It is far more my concern to take care of you, than it is for you to care for me."

"Bless, Master. Not when you are so ill. Do not concern for me. It is nothing."

At this, Qui-Gon raised his eyebrows. "Do not concern for you? How can I not? You are obviously distraught over something. And something is not nothing." He probed through their bond, but Obi-Wans shields were still up. _Sniff_. "Is it what I asked you earlier?"

Unsure of what to say, Obi-Wan did not answer.

Anxiety filled Qui-Gon again. This was worse than he had thought. Had his Padawan lied? Or, was it something else.

"Why does the Order frown upon bond-mates, Master?" Obi-Wan asked, quietly, not looking at Qui-Gon.

"We have been through this. The Order, in general, believes that the creation of that sort of bond makes it difficult for people to focus on their duties and, sometimes, masks the Force."

Obi-Wan nodded. He and Qui were ever vigilant of their duties, and he certain felt the Force guide him through every step and every decision.

"They know about us then?"

"Yes, I-ah-heh-be-lea-he-ah-Kep-sheorn! _Sniff_. Believe they do."

"Bless, Master," Obi-Wan said absent-mindedly. A swirl of thoughts were running through his head. Was he being selfish – loving his Master as he did? Was their bond hurting Qui-Gon? Was he worse for their connection? Would the other Masters shun either of them for this? Was he bringing his Master down? A lone tear slid down his cheek.

Qui-Gon saw this. "Obi-Wan, you must tell me what you are thinking. Holding it inside isn't helping either of us."

Oh, but it was. How could he tell Qui-Gon that his love was poisonous? How could Qui-Gon understand? He was far too close to the situation. Telling him would only cause pain.

"It is nothing, Master. I'm just tired. Rest tonight. We will discuss it in the morning." Obi-Wan said, pulling Qui-Gon close – with no intention of discussing it ever.

Qui-Gon awoke with a snort and a snuggled. He went to cuddle into Obi-Wan, but he was no longer in the bed. And, judging by the coolness of the bed, he had not been for some time.

Qui-Gon tired to contact him telepathically, but he reached nothing. No shields. No warm embrace. Nothing.

Alarmed, Qui-Gon jumped out of bed and dressed. 'Hesh-kesshum!"

Slowly the door opened.

Hoping it was Obi-Wan, Qui turned quickly.

"Mesa sorry sir. Mesa heard yous awake."

"Hessh-ketehm!"

"Blessa, sir. Mesa knows you is not feelin' oky dokey. Yousa should be in bed."

"I need to find Obi-Wan," Qui replied gruffly, trying to push his way past Jar Jar.

"Obi is oky dokey. He says that you shoulda be resting."

"Hessh-kessha! Ka-shorn!" A violent chill shook Qui-Gon.

"Hesa right."

Qui-Gon nodded. "I need Obi-Wan. Can you take me to h-him? Heptch!"

Jar Jar nodded, his ears flapping back and forth. "Yessa, sir. Just coma with me."

Obi-Wan was in the next room in deep meditation. He was seeking the answer to his questions through the living force. Much to his confusion the Force always brought him back to Qui-Gon.

Slowly, quietly, Qui-Gon sat next to him and entered into a meditative state. He attempted to touch Obi-Wan's mind, but he was meditating deeply – deeper than he ever had before. Slowly, the bond between them opened again, and Obi-Wan opened his eyes.

His poor Master, so obviously miserable – shaking with chills, chapped nose, and cheeks flushed with fever. "What are you doing out of bed Master?" he inquired softly.

Qui-Gon pulled his eyes open. "Hetchessh! You were going to leave me, my Obi-Wan?"

"I-," Obi-Wan didn't know how to answer. "He was going to leave, but only for his Master's own good. But, the Force was telling him that the effect would not be the one desired.

Qui-Gon's heart sank. "You can say yes. After I release you, you have no further obligation to indulge me. In fact," he coughed harshly.

"Come," Obi-Wan said getting up, and helping Qui-Gon to his feet.

"Perhaps I ask too much of you. Perhaps this was not the right way for us." He thought of other Masters who had this type of connection with their padawans. It had happened in the past, and it would happen in the future. He was certain that it was meant to happen to him, but he'd been wrong before.

Obi-Wan laid Qui-Gon down gently. "Hush now. It's the fever talking. You know I will be there for you, always."

"Then why were you thinking of leaving?"

"I was just trying to watch out for you."

"For me? Isn't that supposed to be the other way around?"

"I have no wish to harm you, or to lose you."

Finally understanding Qui-Gon gave a wry grin. "I appreciate the concern, however, you are not hurting me. My life is better because of your presence." His nose started to tickle again. 'No no, not now,' he begged mentally, but it was of no use. He snuggled into Obi-Wan just as the sneeze hit. "Hep-ketish!"

"Blesses, Master," Obi-Wan said quietly as Qui-Gon drifted back to sleep.


End file.
